We had a very good holiday with family and everyone is well. We did get to see a little bit of snow and I hope that is all the snow we see this season.
IIt was so nice to see the Florida sunset and put my coat in the suitcase!!!
Monday, January 16, 2017
Feel the Sunshine!!!!
We hope you had a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
We had a very good holiday with family and everyone is well. We did get to see a little bit of snow and I hope that is all the snow we see this season.
I
It was so nice to see the Florida sunset and put my coat in the suitcase!!!
We had a very good holiday with family and everyone is well. We did get to see a little bit of snow and I hope that is all the snow we see this season.
IIt was so nice to see the Florida sunset and put my coat in the suitcase!!!
Saturday, December 3, 2016
Go Go Go
Thursday, November 24, 2016
Thanksgiving
We woke up Thanksgiving morning to bright sunshine and a good weather forecast. Everybody is ready and anxious to get going. The first group of 4 boats leaves at 11 a.m. and includes Time Out, Katherine Marie, Sea Cow, and In Deep Ship bringing up the rear. We all cruise about the same speed of 7 knots or 8 mph. The second group of boats go faster so they leave 3 hours later. The Gulf starts out pretty choppy with waves 1 to 2 feet, a nice breeze and still lots of sunshine. We feel nervous about the crossing and a little seasick but manage to hold down our breakfast.
Late afternoon the waves smooth out and we have a great sunset.
After dark we all use radar and stay less than a mile apart so that we can see each others running lights. Around midnight the wind comes out of the north and the following seas give us a little boost in speed. Every hour Time Out checks with each boat to keep us awake. They all have autopilot except us, we have to steer the boat all night. We take turns, but we don't find much sleep. About 3 a.m. the wind changes again. It makes us feel like a sailboat running on our side for a couple hours.
Friday and Saturdary, November 25 and 26
We are glad for sunrise and no wind and by 9:30 a.m. we arrive at Clearwater Beach Marina. Every one is safe and no one had problems. We are really happy to be back on land!
Sleep all day, then we met with some loopers for docktails and to celebrate a great crossing! The next day several of us hop on the Jolly Trolley to visit Tarpon Springs and the Greek docks.
We relaxed and cleaned the boat and visited the small town of Madiera Beach for another week. Paul and Ann on Sea Cow departed after a few day to continue their loop. Dan and Jean on Time Out are flying home for the holidays. We have a flight on Allegiant and ubered to the airport--it was easier than we thought!
Thanksgiving
We woke up Thanksgiving morning to bright sunshine and a good weather forecast. Everybody is ready and anxious to get going. The first group of 4 boats leaves at 11 a.m. and includes Time Out, Katherine Marie, Sea Cow, and In Deep Ship bringing up the rear. We all cruise about the same speed of 7 knots or 8 mph. The second group of boats go faster so they leave 3 hours later. The Gulf starts out pretty choppy with waves 1 to 2 feet, a nice breeze and still lots of sunshine. We feel nervous about the crossing and a little seasick but manage to hold down our breakfast.
Late afternoon the waves smooth out and we have a great sunset.
 |
| Sunset on the Gulf of Mexico |
 |
| Sunrise with Clearwater on the horizon |
We are glad for sunrise and no wind and by 9:30 a.m. we arrive at Clearwater Beach Marina. Every one is safe and no one had problems. We are really happy to be back on land!
Sleep all day, then we met with some loopers for docktails and to celebrate a great crossing! The next day several of us hop on the Jolly Trolley to visit Tarpon Springs and the Greek docks.
 |
| Ann, Paul, Cindy, Terri, Kelly |
Sunday, November 27 to Monday, December 5
Clearwater Beach Marina was very busy with too much rocking and rolling to stay there. We moved the boat along with Time Out and Sea Cow to Madiera Beach at a small public marina. We visited John's Pass and part of St. Petersburg by bus with Paul and Ann!
We relaxed and cleaned the boat and visited the small town of Madiera Beach for another week. Paul and Ann on Sea Cow departed after a few day to continue their loop. Dan and Jean on Time Out are flying home for the holidays. We have a flight on Allegiant and ubered to the airport--it was easier than we thought!
Get Ready, Get Ready, Get Ready.......
Monday - Wednesday, November 21 - 23, 2016
We arrive at Carrabelle, Florida at C-Quarters Marina--it is THE place to start a trip across the Gulf of Mexico. Most all the marinas now have pilings that you have to tie the boat at all 4 corners with enough slack for the changing tides. I need more practice for sure!!
We ask about a restaurant, but there are none open in Carrabelle on Mondays. We are in luck, the Marina has a pot luck dinner for anyone who shows up. Good food and other boaters show up so there are about 20+ people. On Tuesday and Wednesday the Fisherman's wife restaurant is open and the seafood is delicious especially the oysters! We join a group of loopers to talk about the crossing.
Carrabelle claims they have the smallest police station in the world. Right on the main street, easy to find!
We make several trips to the local IGA grocery store. They have a very prominent display of Barefoot wines and bubbly. Have to get some just in case we need to celebrate crossing the Gulf!!
Finally it looks like the weather and wind will be good for crossing the Gulf of Mexico on Thanksgiving. No cooking turkey, I have the feeling we are the turkeys!
We arrive at Carrabelle, Florida at C-Quarters Marina--it is THE place to start a trip across the Gulf of Mexico. Most all the marinas now have pilings that you have to tie the boat at all 4 corners with enough slack for the changing tides. I need more practice for sure!!
We ask about a restaurant, but there are none open in Carrabelle on Mondays. We are in luck, the Marina has a pot luck dinner for anyone who shows up. Good food and other boaters show up so there are about 20+ people. On Tuesday and Wednesday the Fisherman's wife restaurant is open and the seafood is delicious especially the oysters! We join a group of loopers to talk about the crossing.
Carrabelle claims they have the smallest police station in the world. Right on the main street, easy to find!
We make several trips to the local IGA grocery store. They have a very prominent display of Barefoot wines and bubbly. Have to get some just in case we need to celebrate crossing the Gulf!!
Finally it looks like the weather and wind will be good for crossing the Gulf of Mexico on Thanksgiving. No cooking turkey, I have the feeling we are the turkeys!
Tuesday, November 29, 2016
Appalachicola
Sunday, November 20, 2016
We are up early--but I forgot to mention that we are back in the Eastern time zone! It feels so much better for the sunshine to ageee with the time. We are still working our way across the intracoastal waterway in the panhandle of Florida and stop in Appalachicola for the night. The marina is farther from the small downtown area than we thought so we walked to the nearest restaurant. Their clay oven is wood-fired and the pizzas were very tasty and Kelly's chicken wings were great!
We are up early--but I forgot to mention that we are back in the Eastern time zone! It feels so much better for the sunshine to ageee with the time. We are still working our way across the intracoastal waterway in the panhandle of Florida and stop in Appalachicola for the night. The marina is farther from the small downtown area than we thought so we walked to the nearest restaurant. Their clay oven is wood-fired and the pizzas were very tasty and Kelly's chicken wings were great!
Sunday, November 20, 2016
How Many Places
Wednesday - Saturday, November 16-19, 2016
Orange Beach, Pensacola, Panama City, Port St. Joe
The weather is so perfect for traveling--bright sun, a little breeze, and mid 70s. We finally arrive in Florida (notice the sunshine).
And I have been trying to take a good picture of the super moon, but this is the best view I find from Pensacola Beach Marina. I hope you all saw it better in person.
We have had several nights of anchoring out and taking pictures. Ann of the boat 'Sea Cow' captured this picture of us letting the anchor down east of Choctawhatchee Bridge near Panama City. At sunset we could hear taps being played from Tyndell Air Force Base.
The dolphins have been going along with us, but I haven't been able to get any real good pictures yet. But the sunrise this morning was great. Ann gets a super picture of us!
The weather will get cold tonight so we pulled into a marina at Port St. Joe. The weather is still nice enough to walk around town too see the lighthouse and get a few things from Piggly Wiggly.
Orange Beach, Pensacola, Panama City, Port St. Joe
The weather is so perfect for traveling--bright sun, a little breeze, and mid 70s. We finally arrive in Florida (notice the sunshine).
And I have been trying to take a good picture of the super moon, but this is the best view I find from Pensacola Beach Marina. I hope you all saw it better in person.
We have had several nights of anchoring out and taking pictures. Ann of the boat 'Sea Cow' captured this picture of us letting the anchor down east of Choctawhatchee Bridge near Panama City. At sunset we could hear taps being played from Tyndell Air Force Base.
The dolphins have been going along with us, but I haven't been able to get any real good pictures yet. But the sunrise this morning was great. Ann gets a super picture of us!
Saturday, November 19, 2016
What a Place in Orange Beach
Tuesday, November 15, 2016
We finally depart Fairhope (Mobile) Alabama late morning, but only travel about 30 miles to The Wharf Marina.
Wow what a marina! A luxury marina! With a hotel, condos, and a 10,000 seat amphitheater--recent concert featured Miranda Lambert. It also had an open mall with boutiques, restaurants, and a ferris wheel! The Food Network was there filming a world cook off although we did not see any celebrities. We highly recommend that if you are in the area, come by The Wharf.
We finally depart Fairhope (Mobile) Alabama late morning, but only travel about 30 miles to The Wharf Marina.
Wow what a marina! A luxury marina! With a hotel, condos, and a 10,000 seat amphitheater--recent concert featured Miranda Lambert. It also had an open mall with boutiques, restaurants, and a ferris wheel! The Food Network was there filming a world cook off although we did not see any celebrities. We highly recommend that if you are in the area, come by The Wharf.
Zoom
Saturday, November 12, 2016
Found out Pensacola Naval Air Station is having an air show. We rented a car from Enterprise and drove the hour from Fairhope to Pensacola to see the Blue Angels--always a treat to watch them perform!
This plane is very similar to the one Kelly flew in as a radio operator when he was in the Navy (ask him about flying in hurricanes!).
Sunday and Monday, November 13 and 14, 2016
We are traveling with "Sea Cow" (Paul and Ann) that goes about the same speed as us. We are relaxing at the marina a few days while they wait on some mail. "Adventure Quest" (Diny) shows up and we have a group spaghetti dinner and talk about all our adventures on the Tenn-Tom River.
Found out Pensacola Naval Air Station is having an air show. We rented a car from Enterprise and drove the hour from Fairhope to Pensacola to see the Blue Angels--always a treat to watch them perform!
This plane is very similar to the one Kelly flew in as a radio operator when he was in the Navy (ask him about flying in hurricanes!).
Sunday and Monday, November 13 and 14, 2016
We are traveling with "Sea Cow" (Paul and Ann) that goes about the same speed as us. We are relaxing at the marina a few days while they wait on some mail. "Adventure Quest" (Diny) shows up and we have a group spaghetti dinner and talk about all our adventures on the Tenn-Tom River.
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